Before Friday night, the American mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor had been heard in New York — notably in Osvaldo Golijov’s opera “Ainadamar.” Wearing trousers, she portrayed Federico García Lorca. But she had never been heard in recital. And that was remedied in a most appropriate and beautiful venue — Weill Recital Hall.

Ms. O’Connor brought with her some excellent music, a program including some of our favorite songs. And those songs were in German, French, English, and Spanish. Bless the singer, or other recitalist, who will present a mixed program — an evening unshackled to a particular composer or dreamed-up theme.

Ms. O’Connor began with Brahms, that great friend to the low voice, male and female. She sang five of his finest and best-loved songs. Her voice was not especially rich, plush, or glowing — and these songs are made for such a voice. But it was serviceable.

Unfortunately, Ms. O’Connor was not in her best form. She sang many poor notes, either off-pitch, impure, or unclean. Such problems would persist throughout the evening. And you could complain on the interpretive front, too. The first song in the group,

“Meine Liebe ist grün,” needed more release or rhapsody. A tentativeness harmed Ms. O’Connor in her Brahms.

The last song in the group was “Von ewiger Liebe,” that great anthem of the low female voice. Marian Anderson, Christa Ludwig, Marilyn Horne, and many others have stamped this song on many minds. The first part of the song needs a drive, or, better, a quiet, inner purposefulness. It must build, inevitably. And this did not occur on Friday night. But Ms. O’Connor sang all these songs — and the entire recital — with sincerity and a basic ability.

I might mention that she comes from the “Express the music on your face” school. She kind of acted or mugged all through the recital. Sometimes this was an enhancement, and at other times a distraction, even a detraction. Of course, this is a matter of taste, which varies.

After her Brahms, Ms. O’Connor sang four songs of Reynaldo Hahn. And here you could have asked for more: more breeziness, more gaiety, more charm, more insouciance, more elegance, more refinement — more Frenchness. As for “L’énamourée,” in particular, it could have used a dose more love. And the moment when the word “suave” comes is one of the most delicious in the French repertory. Ms. O’Connor might have made more of it.

But I stress that I am holding her to a high standard. In previous appearances, she has set high expectations.

Ms. O’Connor closed the first half of her program with Wolf — a selection from “The Spanish Song Book.” “Mögen alle bösen Zungen” had sufficient character, if not much precision. The subtle sensuality of “In dem Schatten meiner Locken” was not quite heard. “Bedeckt mich mit Blumen” was more successful: Ms. O’Connor sang it with beauty, affection, and, in the main, accuracy.

It has been a pretty good season for William Bolcom’s “Cabaret Songs” here in New York. Measha Brueggergosman, the phenomenon from Canada, sang some of them in Zankel Hall. And Ms. O’Connor sang her own set in Weill Recital Hall. She enjoyed Mr. Bolcom’s songs, but did not overenjoy them, if you will. She didn’t oversell them, or ham them up. She kind of let them come out — which was admirable.

And she closed her printed program with the “Canciónes negras” of Montsalvatge — all five of them. It was especially good to hear “Chévere,” for singers often exclude it. From Ms. O’Connor, these songs had both felicities and infelicities. The cherished lullaby should have been more sweet, seamless, and entrancing. But “Canto negro” had suitable pep — pep without nuttiness.

And the end of this song brings up a great question: To yelp or not to yelp? Ms. O’Connor did not yelp — which seemed right.

Accompanying this recital was a pianist with the interesting and beautiful name of Cheryl Lin Fielding. She was always competent, and sometimes much better. In Brahms, she was Brahmsian: warm, grand (where required), and rich. In the Bolcom, she was wonderfully bluesy, highly idiomatic. And she was idiomatic in her Montsalvatge, too — no Alicia de Larrocha, but no hopeless foreigner, either. Throughout the evening, Ms. Fielding was musical.

Before she sang her sole encore, Ms. O’Connor made some remarks to the audience, which were touching. Her fans showed full support. She is a friendly-seeming and endearing woman — instantly likable, as she takes a stage. That is an important ingredient in a singer. And a voice recital, of course, is an exceptionally personal occasion.

For her encore, Ms. O’Connor sang another Bolcom “Cabaret Song” — this one “Waitin’,” which is simple and unaffected, getting under your skin. Ms. O’Connor expressed it nicely. She now has her first New York recital under her belt. Future ones, I feel sure, will be better.